Dearest Senator (and hopefully soon President) Cruz,First and foremost I want to thank you for your fight and for being one candidate I can actually say I’d be proud to have as my president if only I could get clarification on one thing. You see I’m at a crossroads in my life and there’s one thing I need to know before I decide whether to vote for you or God forbid someone in the Democratic Party.

When I think about how to define myself the first thing and most important thing is that I am a Christian and my heart beats for Jesus. For many many years I was told that it would be against God to go with my heart when it comes to who I’ve always been attracted to. Because of this I tried numerous times to take my own life but every attempt and survival made it that much more apparent that I was supposed to follow my heart. I still struggled for many more years and literally became so ill I had to be hospitalized many times because I was keeping who I really was a secret from my friends and very republican family. I prayed and prayed for God to change me then when I realized that wasn’t going to happen I came to the conclusion that I had to honor the person that God created and learn to love her or I’d continue to suffer and most likely die from being so emotionally sick that it made me so unbearably physically sick. The one day I knew was coming finally came and I decided to tell my mom that I was gay and no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t change it. She said she still loves me but just can’t wrap her head around it as she and my father did everything in their power to raise a strong Christian woman. I’m still the strong, faithful, devout Christian woman I have always been, I just happen to be in love with a woman. Once I finally accepted myself for who God made me to be I was ready to find my other half and God didn’t waste any time bringing her to me. I am so incredibly in love with this woman and all I want to do for the rest of my life is love her and praise Jesus for bringing her to me. I was one that said I would never get married however I love this woman so much that that’s what I want to do. She has two little boys and I would like the chance to adopt them or at least help raise them as if they were my own. I know without the prospect of marrying this woman there are so many things that we wouldn’t qualify to be as equal as the rest of heterosexual world. Things like healthcare and joint benefits are the main issues that concern me about not being able to officially marry this woman. I feel that it’s up to the states to determine whether or not gays should be able to marry as in the constitution it basically says the federal government should have nothing to do with gay marriage. However honestly I’d like for it to stay legal for people like me to get a marriage certificate (I’m not even saying we should be allowed to get married in a church, I just want to be able to go to the JP and get a certificate) so that they can live their lives together and have the same benefits that heterosexual couples have. My confusion lies in where you stand on this topic. I stand with you on nearly everything you stand for but I cannot vote for someone who will make it even more difficult for me to live my life the way God intended. That’s just how it is.

Look senator it comes down to this, are you going to change the laws about gay marriage to make some people happy or are you finally going to stand up against the radical tea partiers and keep marriage an equal rights opportunity?

The Constitution does not mention marriage. In fact, the Constitution does not discuss any issues concerning morality. The Constitution and therefore the federal government is not allowed to have an opinion on gay marriage and when Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act it was UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

The constitution says, via the Tenth Amendment, that the States and the People of those states should decide what they want to do about gay marriage without any interference from the federal government.

So say we follow the constitution and make it a state issues, where would make Texas stand on the marriage equality act?

I appreciate your time and consideration on this matter and I look forward to hearing what your reply is because this will determine how I and many of my friends like me vote.

Thank you again for running an incredible race and for standing up for what is right.

Debate Persists on Long-Term Use of Psychiatric Meds and Kim’s personal experience of being a guinea pig for Pharmaceutical companies and how it’s killing her

By Traci Pedersen

Followed by personal experiences by: Kimberly McPherson

Debate Persists on Long-Term Use of Psychiatric Meds
In a new article in the journal BMJ, an expert argues that the benefits of psychiatric drugs have been exaggerated and the negatives downplayed due to poor trial design, while another expert and psychiatric patient defend the use of these drugs.

Every year in the West, more than half a million people over age 65 die from the use of psychiatric drugs and the benefits would need to be “colossal” to justify these “immensely harmful” treatments, said Peter Gøtzsche, M.D., professor and director of the Nordic Cochrane Centre, Denmark.

But their benefits are “minimal,” he explains, adding that these drugs should “almost exclusively be used in acute situations.” New guidelines should support this change and there should be widespread access to withdrawal clinics to help many patients gradually come off these medications.

The benefits of these drugs have been exaggerated and their harms understated, he said, because randomized controlled trials have been biased, not blinded appropriately. He also notes that the effects of these drugs have not been fully evaluated and that deaths have been underreported.

For example, the majority of studies have included participants who had already been taking a psychiatric drug and such patients may undergo abstinence and be suffering from withdrawal symptoms from the first drug. As a result, this study design exaggerates the benefits of treatment and increases the harms in the placebo group.

Industry-funded trials have also underreported deaths, he said, estimating that there have probably been 15 times more suicides among people taking antidepressants than reported by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Gøtzsche calculates that deaths from three classes of drugs — antipsychotics, benzodiazepines and similar drugs, and antidepressants — were responsible for 3,693 deaths every year in Denmark. This number corresponds to 539,000 deaths in the U.S. and European Union combined.

The benefits of these medications are so small, he adds, that it would be possible to stop current use almost completely without causing harm. He suggests stopping the use of all antidepressant, ADHD, and dementia drugs, and prescribing only a small fraction of currently used antipsychotics and benzodiazepines.

But Dr. Allan H. Young, a professor of mood disorders at King’s College London, and John Crace, a psychiatric patient, contend with Gøtzsche’s stance, arguing that research supports the use of psychiatric drugs. They believe that these drugs are just as beneficial and effective as the drugs used to treat other common, complex conditions.

They believe that these medications are needed to lower the long term harms of psychiatric conditions, which are the fifth leading cause of disability worldwide. Most psychiatric patients suffer from co-existing health conditions, they add, a primary cause of death among this group.

They note that psychiatric drugs are rigorously examined for safety and effectiveness and while the evidence base is “imperfect,” they say, research shows that psychiatric drugs do more help than harm.

Source: BMJ

Kim’s personal experience with psychiatric drugs and her long term use leading to deadly unchangeable diseases.

I’ve been a guinea pig for the psychiatric pharmaceutical companies for over 17 years of my life. If there is a psych med on the market I’ve taken it. About 8 years ago I started having terrible symptoms that other doctors weren’t able to figure out where or why I had them until they found out I had been taking antidepressants for over half my life.

I would have random episodes of passing out, dizziness, low sodium (leading me to have to ingest 3 gallons of pedialyte a day along with 2 extra teaspoons of salt and up to 10 whole grams of sodium chloride), low potassium, random seizures that I never had before, symptoms of lupus, Addison’s disease (where your adrenals shut down), pituitary adenomas (basically cysts on your pituitary gland that grow), and now kidney and liver failure.

All of the things mentioned above have gotten worse over the years and now I live in a constant state of an Addison’s crisis and my cortisol and aldonostrone levels are undetectable meaning that I’m a walking (on good days I can walk to the kitchen) miracle on the verge of death. Also I now have full blown lupus that resulted in negligence on the part of my prescribing physician because I was showing signs of medicine induced lupus for years but the doctor did not help me get off the medication in time so now the lupus has taken on the dreaded autoimmune disease form that will not go away.

I’ve been to over a dozen specialist for my symptoms and new diseases and every single one of them (except for my psychiatrist that is now getting on board because I have so much proof from my other specialists) say that its 99.99% most likely that all of this is from long term use of psychiatric drugs.

The reason I write this is not to deter you from getting help if you have depression or any other illnesses like that. I say these things as a warning to the public that our doctors and pharmaceutical companies are covering up the actual dangers of these man made drugs. I urge you to do your research and to attempt herbal/natural remedies before ever starting a prescribed medication. With natural remedies it will take a bit longer to see results but I guarantee you that it’s worth it to stick it out. The reason the FDA does not approve of natural remedies is because they work to actually cure the patient so there’s no money in it for them. The FDA only approves of things that will keep you sick enough to need to take more of their FDA approved medicine. Who do you think pays for these medical college’s? The Pharmaceutical companies pay for our doctors to be taught about their medicines. Western medicine is there to treat symptoms and natural medicine is there to cure the whole patient.

I write this because I do not want to be silent and find out in a year that there are hundreds of thousands more out there like me.

Trust your doctors but trust your gut more. We need to get back to God’s natural remedies that He spoke about in our instruction book. He states that all of our medicinal needs are in the plants and trees so we need to obey if we want to live happy and healthy long lives. These drug induced pickling agents will help us live long lives but we will be in agony wishing we were dead the whole time. It’s time to get back to what really works so I urge you to try to find a natural/homeopathic/eastern medicine doctor before ever trying a western medicine drug that we won’t know us harmful to us until the FDA and CDC gets unveiled for the killing machines that they are.

The actual number one cause of death in the united states is from the side effects of harmful FDA approved drugs. They just don’t want you to know that.

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When I was 17 I went to Rockford, Michigan, to go to the Circle A Ranch directed by Skip Ross. One of the lessons Skip taught us was the importance of positive affirmations.

What are Affirmations?
Every thought you think, every word you say is an affirmation. All of our self-talk or inner dialogue is a stream of affirmations. We are continually affirming subconsciously with our words and thoughts, and this flow of affirmations is creating our life experience in every moment.

Our beliefs are just learned thought patterns that we have developed since childhood. Many of these work well for us, but others may now be working against us. They are dysfunctional and may be sabotaging us from achieving what we believe we want. Every affirmation we think or say is a reflection of our inner truth or beliefs. This is our reality. It is important to realize that…

I’ve taken a great amount of time to research these oils and the safety regarding ingesting them. I’m learning there is almost never any reason to use essential oils Neat (meaning without carrier oils), especially when ingesting them. The potency of these oils is mind boggling. Ingesting neat not only can be dangerous but its a great way to spend a ton of money really quickly. Here’s the thing, ingesting essential oils only became popular when the major MLM companies started trying to sell their oils to people and make them need to purchase a new bottle each month. Someone told me that a bottle of lemon essential oil should last you years and not months. So I’m going to give you a tip on how to save your oils, money and health.

If you must ingest essential oils to get relief I suggest doing this with each oil:

Purchase as many empty 15ml bottles as you have oils and blends you want to make.

Take each oil and make a diluted version in the empty bottle by adding 15-60 (depending on how strong you need your oil) drops of the oil you are using into the empty bottle and fill with organic fractionated coconut oil or just plain coconut oil (if you choose this option you will need to warm the bottle in your hands before any drops come out). I buy my regular coconut oil from Tropical Traditions and my fractionated coconut oil from Amazon.

Once you have your oils made into diluted bottles then you can take that and make the following recipe

7 drops diluted sacred frankincense

7 drops diluted Somalian frankincense

7 drops diluted copaiba

and if needed 7 drops of Balsam Fir

(if you use nothing else make sure to mix a frankincense and copaiba)

Make sure to purchase bovine gelatin capsules and not vegetable capsules as the vegetable ones have been known to contain carcinogens and do not break down properly in your system so they can get lodged in your kidneys and liver.

here are some additional oils I sometimes add to my capsules varying from 5-7 drops of each (diluted oil) that are noted as GRAS (generally regarded as safe) oils to ingest. Wintergreen is not safe for consumption so do not put that oil in a capsule only use topically.

Important note- some essential oils are not suitable for pregnant women or people with certain medical conditions. Check with your doctor before using them.

1. Chamomile – is well known for its effective anti-inflammatory properties. Helps to relieve muscle pain and spasms, low back pain, headaches and pain caused by PMS.

3. Lavender – this is probably the most famous essential oil for pain relief and relaxation. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and sedative properties and it helps to relieve muscle tension and spasms, joint pain and headache. Lavender is also one of my top 5 essential oils for allergy relief.

4. Eucalyptus – has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Good for muscle pain and nerve pain. Use in small quantities.

5. Peppermint – good for muscle and joint pain, headache and nerve pain.

6. Rosemary – has analgesic and antispasmodic properties. Good for relieving back pain, muscle and joint pain and headaches.

7. Thyme – antispasmodic, good for joint and muscle pain as well as backache.

8. Clary sage – has calming and soothing properties, as well as anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties. Helps to ease muscle tension, spasms and PMS pain. Use in small quantities.

9. Sandalwood – relieves muscle spasms. One of sandalwood’s most important uses is to sedate the nervous system, so it helps to reduce nerve pain.

11. Ginger – can ease back pain and improves mobility. Can be used to treat arthritic and rheumatic pain, muscle pain and sprains.

12. Frankincense – has anti-inflammatory properties and also acts as a mild sedative. It’s also used to alleviate stress and relieve pain.

13. Yarrow – a powerful restorative and analgesic pain reliever with powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Good for muscle and joint aches and pains.

14. Wintergreen – this is not a well known essential oil, but it’s very effective to treat painful conditions including headache, nerve pain, arthritis and menstrual cramps. This essential oil is created by steam distilling the leaves, and it contains a very high percentage of methyl salicylate. This oil has pain-relieving properties similar to aspirin (salicylate is the principal component of aspirin).

15. Vetiver – not very known in the west, vetiver has been used since ancient times in Ayurvedic medicine. Vetiver essential oil is extracted from the roots of a grass known as Vetiveria zizanoides which belongs to the same botanical family as lemongrass and citronella. It brings relief to general aches and pains, especially for rheumatism, arthritis and muscular pain and headache.

16. Helichrysum – this essential oil is quite expensive and valued for its pain relive properties. It has anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and analgesic properties. It helps to relieve arthritis pain and supports the nervous system. Pain relief reported by most users happens nearly instantly – certainly within minutes of application.

How to use the essential oils to relieve pain?

While you can use any of these oils on their own, it is also beneficial to blend up to three oils together. Don’t apply essential oils directly on the skin, but dilute it first with a carrier oil such as olive oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, etc.

For headache – blend 4-6 drops of essential oil with one tablespoon of a carrier oil and apply a small amount of the mixture to the temples and massage gently. Be sure to stay away from the eyes. Headache can also be relieved by smelling the oil: sprinkle a few drops of the oil onto a cloth or tissue, or use an aromatherapy diffuser or vaporizer.

Bath soak – good to soothe tired, aching muscles, relieve arthritis and rheumatism. Put a few drops of essential oil in a hot bath (you can also add 2-3 cups of Epsom salt to enhance the effect). It’s a good idea to mix the essential oil drops in a small amount of carrier oil first and then add to the bath.

Massage oil – use about 10 drops of essential oil per 1 ounce of carrier oil and massage this oil blend into any body part where your muscles are sore.

Hot or cold compress – According to webmd website there is some evidence that heat can help decrease low back pain. Although there is little proof that cold will help, some people do find that heat or cold help them: apply heat, such as hot pack, for 15-20 minutes at a time. Ice and cold packs can relieve pain, swelling, and inflammation from injuries and other conditions such as arthritis. You may also want to try switching between heat and cold. Use heat for 15-20 minutes, then a few hours later use ice for 10 to 15 minutes.

To make hot compress take about a pint of hot water, as warm as you can comfortably tolerate, and add about 4 drops of your selected essential oil to it. Then place a small towel on top of the water and let it soak it up. Next squeeze the excess water and place it over the painful area. A cold compress is made exactly the same as the hot compress, but ice or refrigerated water is used instead of the hot water, and the compress is replaced when it has heated up to body temperature.

Internally: Place the appropriate number of drops in a gelatin capsule and swallow or if you are hard core drop them under your tongue

I make essential oil blends and roll ons for nearly any ailment. Below is a link to my eBay store where I’m trying to raise money for Lucy’s health and service dog certification. If you do not see what you want lists please contact me and I can make you your own custom regiment for whatever you may be dealing with

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Sometimes it is easy to think that we can do all things in our own, then we stumble, get frustrated and we feel like life seems falling apart. We forget to pray! Pray about it! Often times, we’ve prayed, fasted, explored countless options and feel helpless because of “unanswered” prayers, well maybe we’re lacking of faith. FAITH and PRAYER must come together. Matthew 17:20‘’He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Whenever I read this verse, it brings me peace while I wait! I know that sooner or later God will reveal His purpose in my life. Let’spray and have faith while waiting, for God’s TIMING is PERFECT!

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”People are brought together for a reason, everything happens for a reason. I believe the reason that you and me were brought together was because we complete one another. We fill in each other’s missing spots with love. And if someday God decides to tear us apart, I trust that there is a reason. Because if there is a reason for love, there is a reason for life beyond it.”

I encourage you guys to grab a copy of this book. It is written by my very dear friend Seeta Rajesh Nawagekar. As what I’ve said on my review, Cup of Life provides a wonderfully layered contrast with deep meaning. It is very helpful in your everyday life. Trust me, I say that from the bottom of my heart, this book will surely help you change your life and your way of thinking around all for the better. It will works in subtle, unexpected ways. This book is available now on Amazon just click the image for further information.

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An interview with one of my most inspirational authors in the world! Lesley Fletcher is a gift to the universe! If you haven’t checked out her blogs or books I encourage you to do so because they will always tighten your day and make you smile. I love this Canadian lady so much!
All my love,
Kimmy

I am now offering a huge discount for prime ad space on my site http://withoutalabel.me. Please contact me at kimberly_mcpherson@hotmail.com with the subject line of AD SPACE WAL. I will be happy to give you all the information that I will need from you. =)

September 21 is the annual observance of the United Nations International Day of Peace, often called Peace Day. It is a day set aside to honor world peace, celebrate it, and observe it. it is to be a day of ceasefire. I consider it a very special day.

I can’t believe this is going on. Therapist abuse should be illegal in EVERY state but it is not. Thanks to Heather Sinclair and her cause Lynette’s Law For Maryland, Maryland may now be one of the states that claims that Therapist Abuse is illegal. Unfortunately, right now it is not. Many news reporters and others are still blaming the survivors of this abuse. Stating things like; the victim brought it on themselves or the sex between the Doctor and patient were consensual are not helping this cause. You can tell ABC2 News what you think of these things by going to http://www.twitter.com/ABC2NEWS . You can also help by going to Lynette’s Law for Maryland’s page and signing the petition. Every signature helps to get this state one step closer to putting these criminals where they belong.

I know it has been a while since I have posted. I must be honest and say that I have been caring for a sick dog that I rescued after having to put down Harley and it has taken every single moment of my time.

This is a post I have done on dealing with the loss of a pet. I recently had to put down my dear sweet chocolate lab, Harley and it has broken my heart. Knowing the stages of grief and what to expect has made things a lot easier. I am not stating that these stages are exact rules you must follow. Everyone grieves differently and everyone has a right to feel. This is just an example of what to expect in no particular order. I hope this helps you in some shape or form.

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A totally BA post by Rhona Finkel. This woman knows her stuff and can explain things in a manner that all of us can comprehend. That is something to be proud of. You go Rhona!
Love Always,
Kimmyhttp://www.withoutalabel.me

Please read this and sign the petition for Lynette’s Law. This petition was created to help stop therapist abuse. This is a VERY important cause and needs to be dealt with by us. Thank you in advance for signing this. It makes me know that there are good people out there.

Therapist abuse is using the imbalance of power in the therapeutic relationship to…

Control, manipulate and exploit clients.
Therapist abuse comes in many forms.
Therapists encouraging their clients to do certain things
That are not within the clients best interests
Therapists encouraging the clients dependency.
Therapists using the clients vulnerability to the therapists advantage.
Abandoning clients.
Engaging in an unethical dual relationship with client.

How it happens…

People seek therapy for a variety of reasons. Therapy is supposed to provide a healthy relationship where the client feels safe and secure. The building of trust in the therapeutic relationship is essential to providing a healthy, stable environment where the client can express their emotions and feelings that are troublesome for them.

In the therapeutic relationship there is an imbalance of power. The therapist has a significant amount of power and influence over the client.

As a client we grow to respect their opinions and appreciate their guidance.

For clients who experienced childhood abuse and neglect, the therapist may take on the role of a parent.

In this case we seek validation, approval and acceptance from the therapist to replace what we didn’t receive as a child.

Adults who experienced childhood abuse are at a higher risk of being abused in the therapeutic relationship.

If clients were abused as children or abandoned, they most likely never developed self-esteem, self-worth and appropriate boundaries. Never developing these things can make clients a target for abuse as adults.

Clients who have suffered abuse in the past may not be able to distinguish between what is a violation and what is theraputetic .

The power and influence the therapist has, has a lot of potential to do a lot of good and by the same token it also has the power to cause severe damage that could have long lasting effects on the client.

How often does it happen?

Statistics about therapy patient abuse only tell part of the story.

Approximately 4.4% of therapists report having engaged in sex with at least one client,

The offenders are about four times more likely to be male than female,

The vast majority of sexually exploited clients are women (88-92%), and

One out of 20 victims is a minor.

The aftermath is incalculable. 11% of victims of therapist patient abuse end up in the hospital, 14% attempt suicide, and 1% actually commit suicide

Does your therapist seem unprofessional? ( Do they talk about other clients, their personal life or things that make you feel uncomfortable?)

If you can’t tell if therapy is helping or hurting.

If the therapist is degrading, humiliating, intimidating, shaming you or you feel manipulated.

Making suggestive comments, sexual comments erotic comments.

Pressuring you to make decisions or engage in activities that you feel uncomfortable with.

Calling you on the phone, email, text messages, meeting with you outside the office.

Giving constant attention to your looks or complimenting your physical appearance ( you are beautiful, sexy) rather than personality or things you’ve accomplished.

Pay close attention to their compliments about your achievements. Does it seem like over kill?

Does the therapist make you feel like you “need” them? Do you feel anxious if you miss a session? Has your therapist made you feel like they are the only one who can “fix” you?

Have they made promises to never abandon you and always be there for you? Have they made you feel like they will never let you down?

Have they engaged in touching, kissing, hugging, winks, sexually suggestive body language and or sexual activity?

Where to get help??

Talk to a friend, spouse or parent.

Seek out information. There are many websites on the internet with a vast amount of information and people who can help. I recommend TELL ( therapy exploitation link line. The website iswww.therapyabuse.org I also recommend www.survivingtherapistabuse.com. The information on these websites can help you through the process of getting help and making the decisions that are best for you.

The woman who dressed her young daughter as Dolly Parton – complete with a padded bra and sculpting underwear – for a child beauty pageant that aired on TLC’s “Toddlers & Tiaras” could lose custody of the girl after her estranged husband claimed she sexually exploited their daughter by allowing her to dress so provocatively.

(Image Credit: TLC)Little Maddy Verst‘s appearance in thecostume on an episode of the controversial TLC program sparked a firestorm of criticism against her mother, Lindsay.

Her father, Bill Verst, has asked a Kentucky court to grant him sole custody of his daughter, who is now 6.

During a court proceeding Saturday, a judge threw reporters out of the courtroom, closed the hearing and placed a gag order on mother Lindsay Jackson. The judge also imposed a ban on any pageant activity for Maddy or her mother for the duration of the trial.

A court-appointed psychologist has sided with Maddy’s father, condemning the Parton costume and recommending that a judge make Verst the girl’s sole custodial parent.

Jackson said the costume was never meant to be sexual and that she shouldn’t be at risk of losing her daughter.

If the judge grants Verst’s petition because Maddy did pageants with her mother, “then that opens the door for any parent to challenge anybody on any activity that a kid does, period,” Jackson told FOXNews.com.

Jackson dressed her daughter herself in the Dolly Parton costume, telling the TLC show’s cameras, “When she wears the fake boobs and the fake butt, it’s just like an added extra bonus and it’s really funny when she comes out on stage and everybody thinks it’s hysterical.”

Not everybody thought it was hysterical, however. Some online commenters were quick to express their disgust for the costume and for the perceived sexualization of little girls on the show.

The costume consisted of a fitted, skin-baring white blouse, tight blue mini-skirt and thigh-high, shiny black boots. Paisley wore it all – complete with a blond wig, which Roberts’ prostitute character also wore – and critics and children’s advocates erupted in outrage.

No way! When I first saw this episode (yes I realize I have a problem, the first step is admitting it) my mouth was left hanging open and my head was spinning. It is like watching a train wreck that you can’t turn away from. I honestly think the rules of this pageant stuff needs to be re-evaluated. We are teaching our little girls that it is okay to dress provocatively and try to win the love of others by our looks. This has got to stop and the only way I know how to help is to not watch this show anymore. I admit it is addicting yet I must do my part to stop the nonsense. If I had a little girl she would go nowhere near a stage, at least that is what I think. If she asked and truly wanted to do something in the arts I might consider it when she became old enough to request it but until then, no way hose. I would love to hear what your thoughts are on this because my eyes are wide open, so is my mouth and my head is still spinning!

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I will be there just like you were there for me! Thank you Nizy from the bottom of my heart for calling and checking in on me, praying for me, texting me, thinking of me, and going above and beyond the call of duty of a friend. I LOVE you girl! Thank you so so much for allowing me to reblog this! You inspire me so much and are able to express things far better than I on so many topics. Thank you for letting me use your words to describe how I feel at times.
I KNOW my heavenly Father is ALWAYS there for me. Thank you for believing that too! It means so much to know that one day we will share heaven together and that eases my heart.
Thank you again for being there for me through this rough time.
Love,
Kimmy

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Thank you so much Nizy! I need this right now. Staying in prayer and hugging Harley as much as possible. I know the time is near. I don’t want to do this but I just may have to. I think she is suffering. I can’t let her suffer. I owe it to her to let her go in peace. I am praying that God allows dogs into His kingdom. I just know He will. She deserves it. She deserves happiness and peace from all of this suffering. I feel like I’m losing a piece of me. I know I will see her again one day in Heaven if it is His will. I just pray that it is. I love you Nizy. I need a hug.
Kimmyhttp://www.withoutalabel.me

Eternal God, whose mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion inexhaustible, look kindly upon us, and increase your mercy in us that in difficult moments we might not despair nor become despondent, but with great confidence, submit ourselves to your Holy Will, which is love and mercy itself.Father God, Help my dear friend Kimmy. Help her dog Harley to fight and win her battle against her illness. Give her the strength she needs to gain back her life and joy. She has such a nice joy for Kimmy. Please take away her sickness and pain. Give her strength and health Lord. She needs it, She deserves her peace and to be without pain. Help her to get better or make it painless for her… and Kimmy. May everything we do, begin with your inspiration, continue with your help, and reach perfection under your…

Such an honor to be mentioned in this woman’s blog. I can’t believe she thinks enough of me to post about it. I love this Canadian! What a wonderful poem. A definite must read! Thank you Lesley, thank you! You have made my day!

Hugs and sloppy Kisses from Harley and me! (the sloppy kisses are from Harley, I am a clean kisser. LOL!)

The Gypsy had come a long way by now. Starting with a new Beginning (Pillar I), an offer and a promise served to enlighten and envelop her. Turning to a broader scope of the world and Discovering (Pillar II) that her own small world was but a fraction of what was necessary to understand her purpose served to push her further. Now, casting off her selfish quest in order to understand and read others was her sole focus for the time being. She smiled with contentment at her self-discovery, delighted that she grasped the Realities of Life (Pillar III), knowing those realities would help mold her own sensibilities – help her centre her own spirituality and place in the Universe and in doing so perhaps re-create a better person.

Saving Grace

The haggard face looks weary.
Life took its toll too early.
The eyes that once were sparkling

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” – John 10:10

All that is here that attempts to harm, is from the pit of hell. Jesus came so that we might overcome all that comes against us. In Him, we have the power and authority to press on toward our permanent prize of eternal life with Him.

Our hope is in Him alone. Though we have struggles and suffering in this space, we also have our Savior; the solid Rock to whom we can continually cling. The thief, the devil, the deceiver – the one who opposes God and attempts to steal the souls of men, is a liar who is trying to tear us down. However, once we have invited Christ to be in command, we have His covering that conquers all that…

Hello readers! My name is Kimberly McPherson and my blog is http://www.withoutalabel.me. I recently started blogging as a way express the things that make up me and to write about things that I consider to be helpful to others. I am super excited to be a part of Confessions Of a Novice Writer and I hope you enjoy my posts. You can read more about me at https://www.facebook.com/www.withoutalabel.me.

Blessings,

Kimmy

How to Increase Your Blogging Traffic and General Blogging Tips

I have been blogging since January of this year and I have learned some savvy blogging tips that I would like to share with you. The following are ways to increase your traffic and general blogging tips that every blogger should know. It took me a while to figure things out, but once I got started…

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Hello readers! My name is Kimberly McPherson and my blog is http://www.withoutalabel.me. I recently started blogging as a way express the things that make up me and to write about things that I consider to be helpful to others. I am super excited to be a part of Confessions Of a Novice Writer and I hope you enjoy my posts. You can read more about me at https://www.facebook.com/www.withoutalabel.me.

Blessings,

Kimmy

Best WordPress Plugins to Protect Against Hackers

Hackers are brutal and they can take away all that you worked for in a stroke of a key. To best equip your WordPress site you will need three essential plugins. The three plugins are Simple Login Lockdown, WordPress HTTPS (SSL), and Better WP Security. I cannot promise this will protect you from all hackers, nevertheless these will assure that your site remains safe.

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Hello readers! My name is Kimberly McPherson and my blog is http://www.withoutalabel.me. I recently started blogging as a way express the things that make up me and to write about things that I consider to be helpful to others. I am super excited to be a part of Confessions Of a Novice Writer and I hope you enjoy my posts. You can read more about me at https://www.facebook.com/www.withoutalabel.me.

Blessings,

Kimmy

My Tips for Running a Successful Blog and Generating Website Traffic

I have been asked by many of my readers to share my tips on running a successful blog and how to generate website traffic (bring in more readers). I must stress to you that I am a new blogger. I have been researching blogging only since January of this year. I started reading books on blogging and have found three great ones that I constantly refer to…

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Hello readers! My name is Kimberly McPherson and my blog is http://www.withoutalabel.me. I recently started blogging as a way express the things that make up me and to write about things that I consider to be helpful to others. I am super excited to be a part of Confessions Of a Novice Writer and I hope you enjoy my posts. You can read more about me at https://www.facebook.com/www.withoutalabel.me.

Blessings,

Kimmy

26 WordPress Facebook Plugins You Shouldn’t Miss Out On

After searching for a good few days on how to speed up my site and still incorporate Facebook into my blog I wanted to make sure that all of my readers had the same advice that I have so I compiled 26 WordPress Plugins that you do not want to miss out on. My advice still holds true as to not overrun your site with plugins or it will make…

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Are you tired of waiting for God to do something for you? I too struggle with waiting on God’s timing in different areas of my life. Some days, it is a lot harder to be patient. When we’re bringing our concerns to the Lord again and again, we grow tired of waiting. It soon begins to feel like our prayers are falling on deaf ears. Often our desire is to take control and just “do the best we can”; it is our fleshly reaction to the silence. We know Galatians 5 lists patience as a fruit of the Holy Spirit so we confess our desire to rule our own lives. We ask the Spirit to fill us, empowering and directing us even as we continue to wait on the Lord.

When you begin to feel the pressure to quit, your attitude must be as the Psalmist…

This is a post about my sweet old chocolate lab Harley. I would really appreciate you reading it and if you happen to pray please pray for her. She is having a rough time with walking, standing up, has a neurological disorder, and lot’s of other things going on. I am in the process of finding out weather or not I need to put her down. In the mean time I am doing everything in my power to keep her happy and free from pain. Thank you in advance for your comments. thoughts, and prayers. Much love to you all!

Let’s say that you built your platform the right way. You have a nice blog, a Twitter account, a Facebook page, all that. You have, what some might call, a following.

And maybe you’re not happy with the exposure you’re gaining from doing all this stuff (which, let’s face it, takes a lot of time.) So you want to earn a few extra bucks while you’re at it. Here are some of the ways you can do that.

When you first self-publish, it’s easy to get caught up in an avalanche of new words. You build an author platform, you promote, you post giveaways, you send ARCs, you tweet, you blog.

You’re constantly searching for a target audience, making up marketing plans. You’re slowly turning into a business man. Sometimes you might even talk like one. Heaven forbid you actually start dressing like one.

Whether you like it or not, Self-Publishing is a business. So how much money can you expect to earn if you self-publish?

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When I first heard of this I imagined a bunch of people standing in line with their Kindles/Nooks/iPads, waiting for some writer to do an approximate version of his signature with this index finger.But apparently e-book signing is slowly taking off, mostly because it’s cool, but also because the new technology requires it.

For those of you who don’t know, KDP Select is a new program from Amazon’s KDP self-publishing platform. It sparked a lot of controversy in the few months since it was introduced, so I thought it might be a good idea to write about it.

Our call to praise and worship is found in Psalm 145: 17-20, NIV, which reads:

“The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving toward all He has made. The Lord is near to all who call on Him, on all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy. My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise His holy name forever and ever.”

A Psalm of praise and worship to our Most High God and King! Draw near to Him in His sanctuary, seeking the truth of His Word. On this Holy Day bring your praise with gladness and make a joyful noise! For the…